Mixing cartridge for sealant compound



Nov. 16, 1965 R. J. COOK 3,217,946

MIXING CARTRIDGE FOR SEALANT COMPOUND Original Filed July 20, 1959 2 5/uvl/an/rae.

a4a/1 J Comb xzzu United States Patent 3,217,946 MIXING CARTRlDGE FORSEALANT COMPOUND Ralph J. Cook, Inglewood, Calit, assignor, by mesneassignments, to Semco Sales dz Service, Inc, a corporation of CaliforniaContinuation of application Ser. No. 828,118, July 20, 1959. Thisapplication Apr. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 190,525 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-686) Thisinvention relates to a container for a plurality of separate ingredientsthat must not be mixed until the time of use, the container being in theform of a cartridge for dispensing the mixed ingredients by extrusion.

This is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 828,118, nowabandoned, filed July 20, 1959, by Ralph J. Cook for Mixing Cartridgefor Sealant Compound.

While the invention is widely applicable for its purpose, it has beeninitially embodied as a cartridge for a sealant which is compounded atthe time of use by mixing a base material with a catalyst oraccelerator. Such a sealant is commercially available under thetradename Thiokol. This initial application of the invention has beenselected for the purpose of the present disclosure and will provideadequate guidance for those skilled in the art who may have occasion toapply the same principles to other specific purposes.

The ingredients of the sealant of the character to which the inventionpertains are commonly mixed at the point of use, for example, by anapparatus such as disclosed in the Trumbull et al. Patent No. 2,859,017.Once the ingredients are mixed, the sealant must be applied promptlybefore it hardens or cures to a degree that would make it unusable. Theapparatus disclosed in the Trumbull et al. patent is adapted for fillingcartridges, each of which comprises a cylindrical plastic shell with adispensing nozzle at one end and a movable piston-like wall member atthe other end. The cartridge filled with the newly mixed sealant iscommonly placed in some type of applicator or dispensing gun for theactual dispensing operation. For example, the dispensing gun may be ofthe air-powered type disclosed in the Detrie et al. Patent No.2,838,210.

A problem arises in those situations where a mixing apparatus such as anapparatus of the Trumbull patent is not available or where it is notfeasible to use such a mixing apparatus. For example, it would beintolerably wasteful to mix a quantity of sealant sufi'lcient to fillseveral cartridges if the need to be met within the permissible timeperiod requires no more than a single cartridge.

The invention meets this problem by a multiple-purpose cartridge. Thecartridge initially serves as a dual compartment container for storingthe two ingredients separately. Subsequently, the cartridge serves as amanually operable means for mixing the two ingredients. Finally, thecartridge serves as means to dispense the mixture by extrusion.

To carry out this concept, the multiple-function cartridge is of thegeneral construction mentioned above comprising a cylindrical shell witha dispensing outlet at one end and a piston-like wall member at theother end to force the mixture to extrude through the outlet. In accordwith the teaching of the invention, the cylindrical shell is dividedinto two separate ingredient-containing compartments by a transversepartition which may be readily deformed to permit the ingredients tointermix. The invention further provides a dasher inside the cartridgeshell and means operable through the dispensing outlet to reciprocatethe dasher for intermixing the two ingredients. When the two ingredientsare thoroughly intermixed, the means for reciprocating the dasher iswithdrawn through the dispensing outlet and a dispensing ICC nozzle ismounted in the dispensing outlet. The cartridge is then ready for use ina dispensing gun.

An important feature of the invention is the manner in which thetransverse partition is provided. The invention is characterized by theconcept of using a partition in the form of a deformable membrane suchas a piece of metal foil and of using the dasher as means to support themembrane until the time arrives for the mixing operation. This conceptrequires that the metal foil membrane be effectively secured to thedasher during the storage period but to be readily releasable therefromto permit intermixing of the two ingredients. It will thus be apparentthat the membrane eflectively engages and cooperates with the shell wallto form therewith partition means and to define separate compartments ofthe container, and upon appropriate container manipulation, to deform toaccommodate destruction of the partition and subsequent mixing of thecontents of the separate compartments. When viewed in this manner, theeffective partition is not only the membrane, but the adjacentcooperating portions of the shell wall and the partition is weak andfrangible in that the partition is destroyed and admixture accommodated.

This last requirement is met by cupping the metal foil around the dasherwith a cylindrical marginal portion of the foil gripped between theperiphery of the dasher and the surrounding shell of the cartridge. Therequired gripping pressure is provided by making the shell flexible andby tightly encircling the flexible shell with constricting means topress the shell radially inward in the region of the dasher. Such aconstricting means may comprise simply adhesive tape wrapped around thecartridge shell.

To get the metal foil partition out of the way in preparation for amixing operation, the constricting means is removed to release thegripping pressure and the dasher is retracted out of engagement with themetal foil. The flexible cartridge shell is then squeezed manually inthe region of the unsupported metal foil to crumple the metal foil todestroy its effectiveness as a barrier between the two ingredients. Thedasher is then used to force the crumped metal foil to a position out ofthe way against the removable end wall of the cartridge. Thereafter, thedasher may be reciprocated and simultaneously rotated for thoroughintermixture of the two ingredients.

As will be made apparent, other features of the invention relates to theconstruction of the dasher, the construction of the movable end wall ofthe cartridge, and the manner in which the two ends of the cartridge aresealed to retain the ingredients without leakage until the time arrivesfor the mixing operation.

The features and advantages of the invention may be understood from thefollowing detailed description taken with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the presently preferred embodiment ofthe cartridge with the two separate ingredients stored therein, partsbeing broken away to show concealed structure;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the dasher;

FIGURE 3 is a similar perspective view of the dasher with the metal foilpartition cupped thereon;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-section showing the construction of thecartridge shell in the region of the dispensing opening;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the piston-like end wall of thecartridge;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the cartridge after the mixing operationis completed and after the dispensing nozzle is added, a portion of thestructure being broken away to show the crumpled metal foil backedagainst the movable wall of the cartridge; and

v FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of an alternate form of dasher that maybe employed.

The drawing shows the presently preferred embodiment of the invention inthe form of a disposable cartridge for use in an air-powered dispensinggun. The principal parts of the dual compartment cartridge include: athinwalled cylindrical shell 10 which is preferably made of a suitableplastic material such as polyethylene, the cylindrical shell being openat one end and being formed at the other end with a neck 12 whichdefines a dispensing outlet 14; an end wall member 15 slidingly mountedin 'the open end of the shell 10; a dasher 16 (FIGURE 2); an operatingrod 18 for releasable attachment to the 'dasher, the operating rodhaving a handle or knob 20 on its outer end; and a partition 22 in theform of a thin deformable membrane that is best shown in FIGURE 3. Inthe selected embodiment of the invention, the open end of the shell 10is formed with a rim bead 24, as best shown in FIGURE 6. The neck 12 ofthe shell may be .formed with a similar rim bead 25 and with an innercircumferential head or rib 26, best shown in FIGURE 4. The inner bead26 is dimensioned to embrace the operating rod 18 in a fluid-tightmanner and is equivalent in function to an O-ring.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, the dispensing outlet 14is formed with an internal screw thread 28 (FIGURE 4) by means of whicha suitable screw-threaded nozzle member may be mounted in the dispensingoutlet for the final dispensing operation. FIG- URE 6 shows such adispensing nozzle 30 mounted in the dispensing outlet 14, the nozzlebeing made of the same plastic material as the shell.

The end wall member 15 functions in the manner of a plunger or piston inthe dispensing operation, the airoperated dispensing gun being adaptedto drive the end Wall member towards the dispensing outlet to cause themixed ingredients to be dispensed by extrusion. In the presentembodiment of the invention, the end wall member 15 is a cup-shapedmember of the configuration shown in FIGURE 5.

The cup-shaped end wall member 15 may be made of any suitable materialsuch as polyethylene and may be formed with a cylindrical portion 32 anda dished portion 34, the cylindrical portion being dimensioned forsliding fit in the shell 1% and the dished portion being inwardly convexin the direction of the dispensing outlet. A feature of the invention isthat the cup-shaped member 15 is formed with a flared thin sharpcircumferential lip 35. The lip 35 has an unrestrained diameter greaterthan the inside diameter of the shell 10 and, therefore, yieldinglypresses radially outward to scrape the inner surface of the shell whenthe cup-shaped member is advanced relative to the shell.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, the dasher 16 has a central hub portion 36, acylindrical peripheral portion 38 and a number of integral bladeportions 40 forming a series of openings 42. The dasher 16 is adaptedfor releasable connection with the operating rod 18 in any suitablemanner. In the construction shown, the hub portion 3:6 of the dasher isformed with an internal screw thread 44 and the operating rod 18 isformed with a complementary screw thread 45 (FIGURE 6) for releasableengagement therewith.

The cylindrical peripheral portion 38 of the dasher 16 is dimensionedfor scraping contact with the inner cylindrical wall of the shell 10.The leading side of the dasher 16 is of concave configuration to conformto the convex inner face of the cup-shaped member 15. Thus the dasher'16 is shaped to make intimate contact with the cup-shaped member 15 sothat the blade portions 40 may scrape the surface of the cup-shapedmember when the dasher is rotated while in contact with the cup-shapedmember. For this purpose, the leading edge surfaces 46 of the bladeportions 46 may be of the same curvature as the adjacent convex portionof the cup-shaped member 15.

The operating rod 18 may comprise a tubular member of suitable plasticmaterial such as polyethylene with the handle or knob 20 in the form ofan integral flange at the outer end of the tubular member. The inner endof the tubular operating rod may be closed by a suitable plug indicatedat 48 in FIGURE 1. Obviously, the operating rod 18 may be in the form ofa solid rod, if desired.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, thedeformable membrane that comprises the partition 22 is in the form of acircular sheet of foil such as aluminum foil. The metal foil is cuppedover the leading face of the dasher 16. That is to say, the metal foilspans the leading face of the dasher and is formed with a cylindricalperipheral flange or marginal portion 50 that snugly embraces thecylindrical peripheral portion 38 of the dasher 16. Thus, the dasher 16serves initially as means in engagement with the partition membrane 22to support the membrane and to cooperate with the surrounding shell 19for gripping the peripheral flange 56 of the membrane in a fluid-tightmanner.

As heretofore indicated, it is contemplated that suitable means will beprovided to immobilize the partitionequipped dasher 16 at anintermediate position to divide the interior of the shell 10 into twocompartments for separately storing the two ingredients. Such animmobilizing means may comprise means embracing the flexible shell 10and constricting the shell to clamp the peripheral flange 50 of thepartition membrane against the peripheral surface of the dasher. Anysuitable encircling means may be employed for this purpose. In thepresent embodiment of the invention, a piece of suitable adhesive tape52 is wound around the shell 10 with sufficient tightness to firmlyclamp the dasher 16 is position with the peripheral flange 50 of thepartition membrane 22 gripped in a fluid-tight manner.

If the described cartridge is to be stored for any substantial period oftime or is to be shipped, it i usually advisable to seal the open end ofthe shell 10 since the cup-shaped member 15 may permit slight leakage.For this purpose, a thin-walled plastic sealing cap 54 may be fittedover the end of the cartridge. The sealing cap 54 is preferably of awell-known type available in commerce which is applied in Wet state andshrinks drastically while drying. The shrink-fit of the sealing caaround the rim bead 24 of the shell makes a fluid-tight construction.

The manner in which the described cartridge serves its purpose may bereadily understood from the foregoing description. FIGURE 1 shows thecartridge with one ingredient 55 on one side of the partition 22 and asecond ingredient 56 on the other side of the partition. One of theseingredients is a base material for the quicksetting sealant and theother ingredient is a catalyst or accelerator. The constricting tape 52immobilizes the dasher 16 so effectively that the cartridge may bereadily shipped in the form shown in FIGURE 1 since more than ordinaryforce is required against the operating rod 18 to cause displacement ofthe dasher 16.

When the time arrives for using the sealing, the plastic sealing cap 54is removed and discarded and the encircling tape 52 is removed to freethe dasher 16. The operator then withdraws the operating rod 18 to pullthe dasher away from the metal foil partition 22. Since the dasher hasthe openings 4-2 formed by the blade portions 40, it may be readilywithdrawn through the ingredient 55 but since the metal foil forms acontinuous partition across the interior of the shell, the presence ofthe ingredient 55 prevents it from following the dasher. The axiallyoutward movement of the operating rod 18 tends to form a void in theingredient 55 with the consequence that external air pressure on thecup-shaped member 15 forces the cup-shaped member 15 to shift inward.The whole body of the ingredient 55 and the partition 22 shift with thecup-shaped member.

With the dasher withdrawn from supporting engagement with the metal foilforming the partition membrane 22, the operator merely squeezes theshell in the region of the unsupported metal foil to cause slightcrumpling of the metal foil. Since the metal foil has no appreciableresilience, it remains crumpled when the squeezing. pressure isterminated to permit the shell 10 to return to its normal cylindricalconfiguration. This partial crumpling of the metal foil forms an openingfor communication between the two chambers in which the two ingredientsare stored.

The operator then forces the operating rod 18 all of the way in. Themoving dasher encounters the crumpled metal foil, carries the metal foilto the end of the shell and crumples the metal foil against thecup-shaped member in the manner indicated in FIGURE 6.

With the metal foil out of the way, the operator reciprocates theoperating rod 18 to reciprocate the dasher 16 over the full length ofthe interior of the shell 10. Preferably the operator rotates the handleat the same time to cause rotation of the dasher simultaneously with thereciprocation of the dasher. Each inward movement of the operating rod18 displaces a corresponding amount of the contents of the shell 10 withconsequent corresponding outward shift of the cup-shaped member 15 andeach outward movement of the operating rod causes corresponding inwardshift of the cup-shaped member. No appreciable leakage occurs around thecup-shaped member, however, because the flared lip 35 acts as a sealwith effective scraping action.

When the two ingredients are thoroughly mixed, the operator rams thedasher 16 to the position shown in FIGURE 6 against the crumpled metalfoil at the cupshaped end wall member 15, and then disengages andwithdraws the operating rod 18. The operator may readily disengage theoperating rod 18 from the dasher 16 by simply squeezing the shell 10 inthe region of the dasher to immobilize the dasher and by then rotatingthe handle 20 to unscrew the operating rod from the dasher. The completewithdrawal of the operating rod tends to form a void but the cup-shapedend wall member 15 shifts inward correspondingly, as heretoforeexplained.

With the operating rod 18 withdrawn, the operator screws the dispensingnozzle 30 into the dispensing outlet 14 and the cartridge is then readyto be placed in the air-powered dispensing gun. The air-powereddispensing gun drives the cup-shaped end wall member 15 inward andeventually forces the end wall member and the accompanying dasher 16 tothe outlet end of the shell. The sharp-edged circumferential lip 35 ofthe cup-shaped end wall member forms an effective seal and scrapes theinner circumferential surface of the shell 10 in the course of theextrusion movement of the end wall.

FIGURE 7 shows a dasher 16a that may be substituted for the dasher 16.The two dashers are of generally similar construction as indicated bythe use of corresponding numerals to indicate corresponding parts. Thedasher 16a differs from the dasher 16 essentially in the fact that theblade portions 40a are canted or pitched. The pitched configuration ofthe blade portions 40a tends to cause the contents of the cartridge tobe rotated if the dasher is reciprocated without rotation. Preferablythe dasher is rotated or oscillated in alternate directions during itsreciprocation so that the pitch of the blade portions 40a accentuatesthe rotating effect on the ingredients by rotation of the dasher in oneof its two rotary directions.

My description in specific detail of the presently preferred embodimentof the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions and otherdepartures from my disclosure within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing cartridge for use with dispensing equipment, thecombination of:

an elongated cylindrical shell of readily deformable material,

a dispensing port at one end of the shell,

removable means to seal the dispensing port prior to use of thecartridge,

readily deformable end wall means to close the end of the shell oppositethe dispensing port,

said end wall means having a base portion of the general configurationof a hollow cylinder and an adjacent,

convex portion integrally formed with the cylindrical base portion andproviding closure of said last mentioned end of the shell, saidcylindrical base portion being sized for close abutting juxtapositionwith the inner surface of the shell,

the convex side of said convex portion of the end wall means facingtowards said dispensing port and seal means comprising an annular skirtextending towards said dispensing port and integrally formed with one ofsaid portions and on the outer surface thereof and defining with one ofsaid portions an annular V-shape cavity with the open side of the cavityfacing towards the dispensing port, said skirt effectuating liquid-tightseal with the inner surface of the shell.

2. A dispensing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said skirt isoutwardly tapered to form a relatively sharp point as seen incross-section and is normally biased outwardly for intimate engagementwith the inner surface of the shell.

3. A dispensing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said skirt isformed at the point of juncture between the cylindrical base portion andthe convex portion.

4. In a sealant dispensing cartridge,

a generally elongated shell of readily deformable material,

said shell being constricted at the forward end thereof to define adispensing port,

removable means to seal the dispensing port prior to use of the sealantin the cartridge,

end wall means slidingly mounted in the shell and initially located atthe rear end of the shell to close the rear end of the shell,

said end wall means having a rearward continuous annular base portionarranged in registry with the inner surface of the shell and in closeabutting juxtaposition thereto,

said end wall means having a forward closure portion spanning thecylindrical shell and closing same, said end wall means being movablelongitudinally of the shell to urge sealant from the dispensing port,and seal means comprising an annular skirt directed towards thedispensing port and integrally formed on the end wall means and definingtherewith an annular cavity adjacent the inner surface of said shell,said cavity having its open side towards the dispensing port and beingfillable with the sealant upon motion of the end wall means towards thedispensing port to create pressure on the sealant, said skirt beingarranged to pressure-engage the inner surface of the shell andeffectuate a liquid-tight seal therewith upon a build-up of liquidpressure within the shell.

5. In a dispensing cartridge for use with dispensing equipment whereinthe cartridge has an elongated cylindrical shell of readily deformablematerial with a releasably sealed dispensing port at the forward end ofthe shell, the combination therewith of a hollow generally cup-shapedplastic plunger slidingly mounted in the rear end of the shell formovement longitudinally of the shell, said plunger initially closing therear end of the shell and having rearward cylindrical portion and aforward concavo-convex end wall with the convex side of the end walldirected forward towards said dispensing port,

said plunger having a circumferential shoulder directed forward towardssaid dispensing port and in sliding contact with the inner surface ofsaid shell, said shoulder being formed by surfaces converging at lessthan a 90 angle and forming with the adjacent portion of the plunger agenerally V-shaped annular groove that is open forwardly towards thedispensing port.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said end wall meansand said seal means comprise a single plastic body.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said end wall meansand said seal means comprise a single plastic body.

plastic plunger is a one-piece molded body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Martin.

Durand.

Hosler 222327 X Coolidge 222136 Archer 222136 Krueger et a1. 222327Pyles 222327 Sundholm 222326 Trumbull 222327 M. HENSON WOOD, JR.,Primary Examiner. 8. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said1 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiners.

1. IN A DISPENSING CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH DISPENSING EQUIPMENT, THECOMBINATION OF: AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL SHELL OF READILY DEFORMABLEMATERIAL, A DISPENSING PORT AT ONE END OF THE SHELL, REMOVABLE MEANS TOSEAL THE DISPENSING PORT PRIOR TO USE OF THE CARTRIDGE, READILYDEFORMABLE END WALL MEANS TO CLOSE THE END OF THE SHELL OPPOSITE THEDISPENSING PORT, SAID END WALL MEANS HAVING A BASE PORTION OF THEGENERAL CONFIGURATION OF A HOLLOW CYLINDER AND AN ADJACENT, CONVEXPORTION INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH THE CYLINDRICAL BASE PORTION ANDPROVIDING CLOSURE OF SAID LAST MENTIONED END OF THE SHELL, SAIDCYLINDRICAL BASE PORTION BEING SIZED FOR CLOSE ABUTTING JUXTAPOSITIONWITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SHELL, THE CONVEX SIDE OF SAID CONVEXPORTION OF THE END WALL MEANS FACING TOWARDS SAID DISPENSING PORT ANDSEAL MEANS COMPRISING AN ANNULAR SKIRT EXTENDING TOWARDS SAID DISPENSINGPORT AND INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH ONE OF SAID PORTIONS AND ON THE OUTERSURFACE THEREOF AND DEFINING WITH ONE OF SAID PORTIONS AND ANNULARV-SHAPE CAVITY WITH THE OPEN SIDE OF THE CAVITY FACING TOWARDS THEDISPENSING PORT, SAID SKIRT EFFECTUATING LIQUID-TIGHT SEAL WITH THEINNER SURFACE OF THE SHELL.